phaelon56

White hots aren't a Rochester only phenomenon but in the Syracuse area they're called Coneys (pronounced by most as it's spelled but by some as "cooneys". I love them split open and cooked as shown in the picture but I have to cook at home to get them that way. The stands that sell them here just grill them like regular hotdogs.

Apparently I'd have to get engaged with genuine intent to marry - thus I still haven't registered (not ruling it out but it's certainly not in my short term foreseeable future). My dad did once confide in me that my mom bought a really nice set of formal china for me when I was in my early 30's and finally started growing up (a long slow process which I'm still actively pursuing). That was nearly twenty years ago. Apparently she got tired of waiting, pulled it out of the boxes and started using it for herself some years back When I see that people have registered I'm far more inclined to just send cash in the hopes that they can or will use it to buy stuff they really want. I mean - really - doesn't nearly every married person you know have with a cheap "cappuccino machine" or a waffle maker sitting in a closet somewhere that they used once to be polite or perhaps it's still in the box?

This is true but if you get Applegate ice cream to take home be sure to pay the price for the handpacked pints or quarts. The quarts and half gallons they sell in the freezer on site have a lighter sort of air whipped consistency like mid grade supermarket ice cream - very disappointing. But the handpacked rocks just like the cones and dishes.

Great to see some new Rochester options listed as the well runs dry quickly in Syracuse. be advised that Mamasan's has a second lcovastion out towards the suburbs now. I always enjoyed the one downtown but my one meal at the new place was a bit disappointing. It was not nearly as good as the family owned Vietnames place I frequent here in the 'cuse. But, that said, they have sour curry on the menu - always a plus in my book.

You'll notice that trend even in places like Seattle with its abundance of very good espresso. The percentage of people in the US who order straight espresso or traditional machiatto's is very low, even in supposedly "sophisicated" urban markets. But even a drink with a large volume of milk tastes much betetr if great espresso is used.

It's also worth noting that if you use the typical mapping programs (e.g. Google Maps) to find Cafe Organica it will direct you to a corner that is one very short block (a couple hundred yards or less) away and has a different coffee shop. The folks there kindly directed me to Organica.

Portland has quite a few good espresso places. Stunmptown is the well known choice but you should also seek out Albina Press (among others). On my most recent SF trip I tried what apppear to be the most well regarded places: - Blue Bottle Coffee kiosk on Linden Street in the Hayes Valley neighborhood - Ritual Coffee (on Division maybe?) - Cafe Organica (a bit further out into Hayes Valley than Blue Bottle) I thought all three were pretty good and would rank them in that same order with Blue Botttle the best or most consistent. None are yet in quite the same league as Vivace or Victrola but are still respectably good.

I recently installed a commercial espresso machine at one of our better local bistros. They have a few good microbrews on tap as well as properly poured Guiness Stout. They've developed a following for pint glasses of stout with an espresso shot poured on top. I don't drink alcohol and am not in a position to assess but one of my coffee buddies tried it and claims it's very tasty.

I suppose that would make a Rum and Coke Blak the ideal drink for optimal liver health....

Ooh ooh ooh.... I hear an Ethiopian coffee ceremony calling your name. The best one I've ever done was in the Adams-Morgan neighborhood of DC. It's something that few people outside the Ethiopian community are familiar with. Unlike some beverage related rituals such as the Japanese tea ceremony, this is not a highly stylized and symbolic performance only for special occasions (although it is stylized and contains great symbolism). Rather, it's a real living breathing daily cultural practice that is performed in many homes on a daily basis (sometimes more than once each day). Did I mention that the coffee is really good?

Ian: Yes... I understand your point but I'm a slave to my periodic impulsive desire to have a decent if not very good espresso when I want it without leaving the house. I cringed at the thought of spending $1500 on an espresso machine and grinder when I first took that plunge. But then I did a realistic calculation of the payback period and the extenuating circumstances (for me). My drink of choice is a traditonal (5 or 6 oz) capp with a double ristretto shot - or else a machiatto if the espresso is good enough to support it(very few are). When I lived in NJ the closest approximation I could get was a really crappy doublke shot 8 oz latte at Starbucks in Hasbrouck Heights - a ten minute drive each way and dinged for about $4 every time I bought one. Ouch. My equipment payback period was about two years. Admittedly, now that I'm working in a shop or there for one reason or another six days per week - I make drinks at home far less often. Due to the fact that I can use the blend of my choice (rather than what the show owner dictates) I still get better drinks at home. But I do promise to visit Cafe Grumpy on my next NYC trip and I also promise not to show up in my pyjamas (but I reserve the right to wear fuzzy slippers).

Despite the fact that I'm not a fan of Starbucks coffeee or espresso I've always liked their frozen frappuccino. My issue with it has been the fact that it's a bit tooo sweet but their new "affrogato" option works for me. (affrogato in quotes because a real afffrogato is espresso over ice cream and this ain't that!). For an extra 65 cents or 75 cents they'll toss a shot of espresso on top of your frappuccino and drizzle a bit of chocolate or caramel syrup on it. If it ever warms up here in the frozen rainy north I might just go out for one on my lunch hour.

I think the valid points and counterpoints have all been made but it's still a mind boggling story. And the lesson I've learned is this: Next time I enter a half-empty restaruant and the MD says "Let me see if I can find you a table" I'll reply "While you're doing that I'm going to go look for another half empty restaurant that values my business enough to seat me promptly without your B.S." And then I'll leave.

The previous replies, Ian's in particular, have all made excelllent points. I'll deviate a bit although I agree in principle with most of what's been said. 1) For good quality home espresso machiens and even some of the lower end ones you'll notice a HUGE difference in the quality of your espresso if you grind your own fresh from whole beans. But that is predicated on having good fresh beans (and I don't mean a can of Lavazza or Illy whole bean that you just opened) and also a very good grinder. The Mazzer Mini or Macap M4 are considered to be the ideal high end home grinder but there are others - less expensive ($150 - $275 US price range) - that are good enough. 2) I can recommend Hasbean as an ethical and reliable source of top shelf fresh roasted varietals for the UK market. I am personally familiar with them and know they have a strong committment to quality. 3) In your market I think the Isomac is as good a choice as any and definitely spring for an E61 HX styel machine such as the Milllenium over a less expensive variety. The ECM Giotto - possibly sold as the Euro 2000 in your market - is also an excellent choice but is likely a bit pricier than the Isomac. Unlike Ian I won't sugest that you leave quality espresso shots only to the professionals. But I do encourage all and sundry to get off their duff and visit local independent cafes as often as possible to consume copious amounts of espresso drinks (and please tip your hard working barista generously ) There are places, times and circumstances when having access to excellent espresso at home is priceless. Assume that you'll have to spend $150 - $450 US for a good grinder and $500 to $1500 for a good espresso machine. Add $20 - $50 for a tamper, a bit more for steaming pitcher etc. and then a healthy amount of patience for the learning process. If you do or did live in an area where there simply are no good local cafes serving quality espresso then you might want options other than gopping out for espresso (it was my dilemma when I lived in New Jersey just west of NYC and it's still an issue for me here in Syracuse unless I visit Ithaca - a 60 mile drive). Heck... I have friend who live on the Upper West Side in Manhattan who make their own espresso at home because there's no place close enough to their neighborhood where they can go out to get shots as good as what their Silvia/Rocky combo produces. Yes - they could go way downtown or to Brooklyn but sometimes (most times) that's just not practical. It took me a period of many months and much reading on sites such as Coffeegeek before I finally started producing really good shots at home. But even my less than stellar efforts were far superior to Starbucks or the two crappy local cafes in my small NJ town. Then there's the Saturday Morning Bathrobe Factor (surely you don't want me in your cafe with my tattered old bathrobe and fuzzy slippers - do you?) To this day I can still get the most consistent shots by visiting a location where they have a great comemrcial espresso machine, properly trained baristas, a good process control and excellent fresh coffee ground by the shot. But I still love pulling shots at home and the only way you'll pry my Isomac from my cold dead hands is if you slip a La Marzocco GS 3La Marzocco GS 3 into them to replace it .

That one's easy. Both can be stored at room temp prior to opening. But the little squeeze package is a single use serving. It's designed to be opened, used and th opakcgae or the remainder discarded. The jar is intended for multiple uses and thus needs to be refrigerated after opening.

Coke Blak finally appeared in my local area - at WalMart of all places. At $4.98 per four pack of small bottles I think it's not exactly jumping off their shelves. In the peak of the summer picnic / party / beverage season around here you can get a 12 pack of Coke or Pepsi products (12 oz cans - not a 7.5 oz bottle) for $3 - $4. The verdict? For my taste it has the worst of all worlds. Take the crappiest coffee flavored soda you can imagine, water it down a bit, reduce the carbonation, add some flat cola drink and then dress it up in a nice bottle. I did taste that bit of vanilla flavor and also something a bit like mild cough syrup. Mmmmm.... I'm not a big fan of cola drinks in general but do enjoy a cold one at times. I am a fan of the NY Espresso soda that's been mentioned here and have also tried an Itlain coffee soda that I enjoyed. But Coke Blak? Loser. I'll give it six months before they quietly stop producing it.

Cool. Thanks for the favorable feedback. The guys who work there are all family and have on repeat occasions expressed hwo happy they are that I've publicized them on the Web. They do a special all vegetarian menu once or twice each year to raise money for a planned local Bhuddist temple. Unusual dishes and the food is really good. I love that lacey crispy shell on the special shrimp rolls - have never had any like that elsewhere. I hope you got to try their Cafe Sua Da - it's excellent.

I have only three words: Guava Cheeese Flan. Yum. (okay - that's four words).

At least you can get a buzz from the mouthwash if you drink enough of it

I see it far more on restaurant menus than any where else including online stores, bricks and mortar stores and print advertising. It's probably different now but in NYC perhaps ten years ago when I was first wandering around the Village and points further south doing window shopping of menus I notiuced the phenomenon. I could always tell when I'd crossed the line into a particualr neighborhood, e.g. SoHo, when most of the menus suddenly no longer had a $ sign (and the prices also jumped 20% to 35% for what appeared ot eb the same ingredients).

They really served coffee in paper cups? (yes Bond Girl - I did read your review). That's at least as ill as putting canned whipped cream on the table. They might just as well give you ketchup in those little tear-open squeeze packets. And those of you who doth protest when I dip a clam strip into a dab of ketchup - just keep it to yourself I really enjoyed Landmarc on my one visit there but this far I'me not feeling an urge to try DP on my next trip to the city. Too many other choices in that price range. But I'm sure that if you live in the neighbo0rhood, eat out a lot and it's in your budgetary range - maybe okay? I am curious about the possibility that they have no oven - and it certainly is possible.

That one is a slippery slope that I'm very careful about because I know and can relate to the challenges the owners face in making enough profit to keep their doors open. I've known of a few places where a certain bartender would comp every other or every third round knowing that they had regulars who would still put down the full amouint for the round. The money went straight in the tip jar and the bartender, in essence, was pocketing a good share of the owners profits. Years ago I drank in a place that was so poorly run and the owner treated staff so poorly that I could tip $5 on my first $4 drink order and get my next three drinks for free. It's not surprising that his business failed. A savvy owner with a good barstaff will lay down some ground rules about "spillage" for regulars and heavy buyers so it could be a win-win-win for all three parties: customer, bartender and owner. I also know of bar owners in this area who hire private security folks to come in peridiodically as "spotters". Sort of like "secret shoppers" but their job is to monitor not only service and activity levels but more importantly - what gets rung up, what doesn't and how often are comp rounds being handed out - and to whom.

It's a completely different in this small city market. As a general rule there are no "captains" here and the waitstaff have to tip out to the bar staff at the end of their shift for a percentage of all the drinks that got sold across the service bar. The tips that the bartenders make across the bar for patrons sittign at the bar and not ordering drinks at the table gets pooled among the bartenders. And they don't tip out to anyone unless maybe they throw a couple bucks to the busboy or dishwasher for doing an ice run. This is not a large enough city to support upscale "cocktail bars". Folks looking for that kind of ambiance typically go to the bar area one of the better restaurants so as to avoid the younger more boisterous and/or rowdier crowd that gathers in "taverns". And some of the restaurant bars do a surprisingly large amount of business across the bar on Friday and Saturday nights. I'll hazard a guess that a good sernior bartneder with a following in one of the more upscale places in this area can earn about $35,000 to $50,000 per year with at least $10K of that not falling into a... uhhh... taxable area. It may not be much in NYC but around here it's a low to mid middle class income. It's so dissimilar to the setup in major cities that it's truly an apples vs. oranges comparison.

No. I don't think it's odd and it's not unhealthy until it causes problems with your health. If those joints end up being where you spend all of your freee tiem outside of work and sleep perhaps it's a problem. But if you were one of those folks you wouldn't have the time or inclination to be posting on eGullet. There was no public Internet back in the days when I was a professional lush but believe me - I wouldn't have been wasting valuable drinking time on Web surfing!). Some very entertaining memories come from those times - to be certain. Memories of: - which bar had the worst bathrooms... (a tie between CBGB's on the Bowery and the Lost Horizon in Syracuse NY) - who had the cheapest drinks ever (ten 10 oz drafts on Monday nights at Livingston's - also in Syracuse) - where I met the weirdest creepiest characters (some bar with the word "Marlin" in the name down in St. Pete FL)

Here in my local area waiters and waitresses make "restaurant server minimum" which . effective Januray 1, 2006 , is $4.35 per hour. I know of no local restaurants - even the most upscale places - that pay above this minimum. I also don't know of any places in this area apart from total dives that pay bartenders less than $8 to $10 per hour before tips. It might be different in larger cities but here? The payscale for bartenders is far higher than for waitstaff. I used to tend bar part time and when I quit the business seven years ago I was getting $10 per hour before tips - back when "restaurant minimum was probably less than $3 per hour. But savvy bar and restaurant owners, at least in this neck of the woods, know they have to pay at least that much to get people who are not only fast and good with customers but also trustworthy. I don't know exactly how many local places have gone under in the past twenty years due to a bartender with sticky fingers but it's quite a few. In this area it's a mostly cash business and the inventory is portablel and easy to resell if it makes its way out the back door. It may not be your rationale about the situation and it's not typically mine but I suppose that in the back of my mind I don't feel guilty about just leaving my 50 cents on the bar when I buy a $1.50 soft drink. That's not an excuse for undertipping a bartender but I can tell you that when I worked as a waiter the bartenders in our restaurant all earned, in total take-home pay, a minimum of twice as much as the best waitperson on staff.